Our July In the Rain
by Nightris
Summary: England a.k.a Arthur can't help but be stuck in the past. He wants him and America a.k.a. Alfred to be how they use to, maybe even more. But how will he make Alfred see what they could be when Alfred isn't the least bit interested?  UsXUk shonen ai
1. Chapter 1

"Hey Arthur, why are you better at catching fish than me?" A young boy questioned the teenager beside him, peering down to his bobber that stood still in the creek with a sad, hopeless expression.

Arthur turned to the boy and raised his thick brow, "Well you caught a few, haven't you?"

"Yeah but you got a hundred over there, big ones too. I just keep catching dinky baby fish." The boy mumbled, bringing his knees up to his mouth to hide his face. He was a bit jealous, almost frustrated with the skilled fisherman who sat beside him on the bank of the creek. He had much bigger fish than him, and enough to feed two starving families. He chuckled though, knowing that with all those fish he'd smell horrible for a week like before.

"Well Alfy, It takes time, patience and some maneuvering to catch the right kinds of fish. Here I'll show you…" Arthur laid his fishing rod down on the damp green grass and got up, taking hold of Alfred's fishing pole with him still wielding it. The boy got excited; he always loved it when his big brother taught him new things because he eventually would get better at it than him.

"You sit very still and pay full attention to your bobber, so that you can react to any kind of tug or pull and when you see that bobber go down," suddenly, the bobber dunked under the water, Arthur yelled, "you pull!"

Alfred was caught by surprised as the two reeled up the fishing pole, but as soon as they did, Arthur's fishing pole dived beneath the water with a splash and was almost taken down stream.

"Gah! Get it, get it, get it!" Arthur yelped, dunking his feet into the water and rushing after it. If not for Alfred's fishing hook griping to his fishing pole, the stream would've swallowed it up. Alfred couldn't help but laugh himself to tears with that classic slip up. His gut turned and tightened because he laughed so hard. Arthur grumbled to himself, stomping out of the creek with cold soaking wet feet and pants with a mucky fishing pole in hand. He not only smelled like fish but now he smelled like gross swampy muck.

"That's the last time I'm teaching you how to fish." He snipped at Alfred as he passed him by, looking like a waddling penguin.

Alfred chuckled a bit and shouted back to Arthur, "That was your fault you know, big brother-"

The pleasant reminiscing dream slowly faded to light as a young man began to awaken. Arthur creaked open his eyes, blocking the morning sun from view. _That_ dream again. Why wasn't it going away like before? That wonderful memory that he cherished so much became a hindrance after dreaming it for so many nights. Then again, for the past week he's thought about nothing but Alfred, the one who use to look up to him those many, many years ago. No wonder the dreams won't stop.

"Why must we be….just distant friends…?" he mumbled softly to himself as he lay still beneath his comforter, being flooded with the morning sun rushing through his old Victorian window.

Arthur rolled over in his bed, thinking about those days where he and little Alfy would play sticks, pretending they were swords or when they'd outstretch their arms and thought they were birds. They always made his heart feel heavy with not only sadness but pure joy. Bittersweet memories you could call them. There was always one question that stumped those heartfelt memories. _Why?_ He knew full well what happened to the two of them. Alfred grew up and they slowly began to be ripped apart. Why though? Why couldn't he just let things flow like the creek they both loved so much?

Arthur sighed, his head straining into a confusing headache. He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself and make all the images go away into the darkness of his eyelids. Eventually, just like his dream, they all faded away. He had control of himself again, but for how long? In attempt to keep his mind off it, he decided to get up and get dressed to start his day. He had plans to go to the café today with Matthew to have a simple conversation with him.

Walking down the stairs of his beautiful wood carved home, he made himself some breakfast to hold himself down till brunch with Mat. It wasn't anything big or ravishing, just some toasted bread with raspberry jam. He always ate it that way, ever since Alfy started putting it on his toast he hasn't changed it since. The old imagery made Arthur froze, and then boil into a fit.

"No, no, no!" he yelled to himself, banging the table, "Stop thinking about him! We've gone down our separate paths already! Your friends and that's all you'll ever be!"

His teeth were clenched and his breakfast was crumbled within his fist. His eyes were tight shut and were almost gushing tears, "D-dammit." His one hand that wasn't sticky in jam pressed itself against his forehead. His hand felt hot and his head felt even hotter. He couldn't help but think of that damned Alfred. Why was he letting himself get so aggravated? He had to keep his appearance, especially because he was about to go meet someone in twenty minutes. Maybe some soothing music could help calm his unsettled nerves he thought.

He quickly stepped over to his radio that sat upon a window seal in the living room. Turning the knob, he found a soothing and quiet station that played classical music all to his liking. He sat upon his soft cushioned Victorian love seat, slumping into its curved figures.  
>"Good god, Keep it together Arthur…." He sighed.<p>

For a good ten minutes, he was able to keep himself from drifting into a nap. Despite his efforts to stay awake, he eventually became victim to his droopy eyelids, the sounds of Bach and the warmth of his cozy home. Even if he had just woken up, his night had been filled with constant stirring to go to the bathroom, so he could wash away all the dreams. It was obvious that no matter how hard he tried to escape, he was trapped in his confusing past with his dreams as the boiling pot, constantly pulling him away from reality.

"You weren't paying attention!" the voice of young Alfred rang in. He ran up to Arthur's side with a smile so wide and silly. Arthur kept up his temper as always, continuing to stomp his way up the hill that lead to their simple cottage home.

"Well how was I supposed to know it'd get caught?" Arthur whined, his eyebrows all twisted up and his thighs becoming raw from walking with wet jeans. Alfred giggled once again, unable to hold back his extremely bubbly character. He did feel bad for his big brother though, and suddenly a knot rolled up in his stomach.

Alfred stopped walking beside his big brother, remaining in one spot with clenched up fists. Arthur noticed his little brother was trailing behind and turned to see what he was up to.

"Hey, what's wrong Alfy?" he asked, kneeling down in front of the boy. When he felt two small arms wrap around his neck, he was taken by surprise even more so when he could feel how hot Alfred's face was.

"I'm sorry big brother," Alfred muffle from inside the teenagers collar shirt, "that was mean of me to laugh."

Arthur glanced down to the young boy, noticing his collar was getting damp from the boy's eyes. He felt the inside of his chest melt and his bitter thoughts wash away. A complete sense of pride shined from the boy's heartfelt apology.

"Hey, hey" he put his hands on Alfred's shoulders, "It's alright, nothing to cry about. C'mon, let's go inside and have a cup of tea, alright? That'll make things better."

Alfred rubbed the tears away from his eyes, nodding to the teenagers comforting offer. Arthur smiled and outstretched his hand to the boy as the wind flickered and floated about the two. Alfred took his big brother's welcoming hand, allowing him to lead the way to their home.

"Hey Arthur?" Alfred questioned.

Arthur turned to the boy, only to find him no longer a boy but a full grown man and shouting at him, "Hey Arthur!" over and over again. Arthur found himself waking up out of a fit with the loud noise of banging coming from the front door.

"Hey Arthur, you in there! You're not dead are ya!" shouted a voice from the other side of the door.

"B-Bloody hell?" he cursed beneath his breathe, still a tad confused. He rose out of his seat, shaking the cobwebs from his head and rubbed his eyes back to focus.

"Matt told me you never showed up to the brunch him and you apparently set up! He told me to come and check up on ya!" Arthur realized it was Alfred that was shouting at him from outside.

He took a glimpse at the time and his heart nearly stopped. It was four o' clock! He slept through Matthews plans and beyond! He burst open the door, finding a rather stupid looking Alfred about ready to knock again.

"Oh so you're not dead!" Alfred said gleefully, "That's good! Well seeing how all I came here for was to see if you're doing fine, I'll get goin."

As Alfred already started on his way out, Arthur felt his chest drop. Here was the man he had been obsessing about for the past week and already he was trying to leave.

"Alfred wait!" he hollered, thankfully stopping the other before he stepped off his patio.

"What?" Alfred questioned. He was having such an oblivious attitude that it almost set Arthur's blood on fire, but trying to be as calm as he could he settled himself down, regaining a gentle voice.

"What is it that has you in such a hurry?" he asked, extremely curious.

"Oh, heh, I was just on my way to go watch this _really_ scary movie with Honda. I heard it 'suppose to be a real horror! I get frighten out of my pants just talkin' about it!" Alfred quivered.

Arthur knew he wasn't much of the type for scary movies but missing a chance like this was something absolutely couldn't afford. With Alfred's life being so busy anymore now, it's nothing short of a miracle he had time to come and check up on him.

"Well, is it alright if I join you guys? And isn't his name Kiku?" Arthur asked, eagerly leaning out of his door frame.

"Yeah sure, I don't see why not. Pssh, Honda, Kiku...same thing right?" Alfred said with a smile, continuing down the steps of Arthur's patio.

Arthur couldn't be relieved enough. Maybe this was what he needed, to spend time with the one he's thought about most. If anywhere, he could start here and work harder to spend more time with Alfred and just patiently see how things played out. It would mean absolutely everything to him if they could at least become close friends.

"Ah-Wait up, Alfred! Don't be so hasty!" he gratefully shouted back.


	2. Chapter 2

The two stepped up to Kiku's door, Alfred being the first to bang a few knocks before shouting "Hey Kiku! It's me and Arthur! We came to see that scary movie you got!"

Arthur sighed, knowing _full well_ that Alfred was always like this but it was something he could never understand about him. Why be so loud, rude and obnoxious when it will do absolutely nothing but give someone a head ache? Being in this thought process, it lead him to the memories of _that_ day. The day where the hard night's sleep and the quarreling between them had began. The same day that spawned the question 'why?' .

Arthur's mind was snapped back to reality when Kiku answered the door and bowed to Alfred, "Please come in." he gestured.

Alfred marched in with Arthur following close by. Kiku's house was a beautifully decorated old fashioned Japanese home, a place that defined the word 'peace'. Arthur truly enjoyed visiting Kiku, he was always such a quiet and respectful human being, unlike someone he knew. He suddenly found his wandering eyes falling back onto Alfred who remained oblivious and excited. He sighed, feeling so distant still.

"So, dude, let's get this party started!" Alfred exclaimed, making his way to Kiku's television room.

Kiku grew anxious, "Party? What party? I made no preparations for a party."

Arthur patted Kiku's troublesome shoulder, "Oh, Don't worry it's just some stupid expression of his."

Kiku's breathing steadied back down, "O-oh…that's very strange. He mustn't say things like that, it could worry someone."

Arthur mumbled, "Yeah you're tellin' me," beneath his breath as the two of them strolled into the television room where Alfred was sitting impatiently with a bag of chips in his lap.

Kiku walked over to his TV where he slipped in the VHS tape while Arthur took a rather close seat next to Alfred. Arthur peered down to Alfred's chip bag, it read in big letters 'Pringles'. Arthur scoffed and raised a lip.

"Where the bloody hell did you get those?"

Alfred glanced over to Arthur while munching on a chip, "The convenience store, duh?"

Arthur flushed a pinky color in embarrassment from the smart-alike remark, "How dare you speak to me like that y-!"

"Shh, it's starting." Kiku interrupted, sitting to the right of Alfred; his eyes fixed on the TV screen. Arthur crossed his arms in frustration as he glared at Alfred. The brute was too busy staring at the screen to realize how much hot-headed anger was being daggered at him. Arthur tried calming himself down with a few long breaths and the relaxation of his muscles. If he wanted to spend more time with Alfred, he'd have to remember to keep calm when around him and just go with the flow…no matter how hard it seemed.

The movie progressed and with every passing minute, Alfred seemed to get more and more nervous. Kiku seemed to be absolutely fine at the site of all the ghosts and gore that threw itself at him. Arthur was a little bit unnerved but more so over the fact that Kiku was able to watch something like this without even the slightest expression of fear on his face while Mr. confident over here was almost wetting himself. He's never really seen Alfred like this, at least not recently. He would only get this scared at night when they were younger. Alfred would come running to his room, jump up on the bed and cry up a storm asking for a bedtime story to make the bad guys go away. Heh, maybe that's why he loved super heroes, they must give him a sense of security from the world. Arthur once again dove into the river of his memories, then he just so happen to glance down. A deep blush fluttered upon his cheeks to find that Alfred was curled up on his lap, shaking like a leaf. His eyes were flooded with fear as a whimpering sound uttered itself from behind his jittery teeth. The warmth of Alfred's head on his lap caused Arthur's heart to beat louder than usual; within a flash he saw the younger Alfred doing the same thing. Hesitantly, Arthur lowered his hand onto Alfred's quivering shoulder, feeling the soft cotton of the man's shirt.

"Aaaagh! Ghost! Gyaa!" Alfred screamed a blood curdling scream, throwing chips everywhere.

It happened so suddenly that it nearly caused both Kiku's and Arthur's hearts to stop. Alfred's outburst scared them more than the whole movie. Alfred continued to freak out as Kiku and Arthur sat frozen, waiting for their hearts to calm down. Alfred gradually calmed down, but was now paranoid.

"Dude, we're never watching this movie ever again I nearly crapped my p-"

"You idiot!" Arthur shouted, startling Alfred, "You're such a child y'know that! You can't even handle a damn scary movie!"

Alfred became worried as the expression covered his eyes, "Whoa, dude, Arthur calm down."

Arthur gritted his teeth, "No! I _can't _calm down when I'm around you! You don't even realize-"

Arthur interrupted himself and stared at Alfred with knitted brows. Alfred just sat there like a dumb dog that had no idea what they had done wrong. Arthur tightened his hands into fists at to the true absent-minded behavior. He almost felt like taking Alfred's shoulders and shaking some sense into him. Maybe then he too could come to an understanding.

"As if," Arthur mumbled to himself, "I'm leaving."

Arthur stood up and tread to the door, his face all flustered and his mind cluttered with emotion. Arthur opened the door, "Yo Arthur! What's wrong!" was all he heard before he slammed it shut.

When Arthur arrived on his front porch, he bashed through the front door. His eyes were watered from salty tears as he stomped over to his couch where he collapsed on its arm.

He cursed as he fought back tears, "Dammit all! I can't do this! Damn him!"

So many rushing emotions heated up into a blistering headache as tears soaked his cheeks and shirt. His face was hot, his fists were sweaty as feelings and thoughts collided into a burning car crash.

An hour had passed when a light knocking beckoned from the door. Francis was on the other side, ready to boast about himself to Arthur for the day. As the door slowly creaked open, Francis's want to gloat slowly faded with it. There stood Arthur at the opening, a complete mess. His hair was all ruffled up from burying his face in the couch cushion. His eyes dark and baggy from the tears that stained that couch cushion. Simply laying eyes upon this sad story caused Francis to become depressed himself.

"A-Arthur?" he questioned, not sure if the man he saw before him was the man he came here for.

Arthur groaned a pathetic groan as he turned away into the darkness of his home, "Not now Francis…"

Francis was left dumbfounded at the door. Where was the ridiculously hot-headed Brit that he loved to torment? He wondered inside the darkly lit home. Not a single light was turned on and all the curtains were shut. Francis grew a tad frightened; he has never seen Arthur like this before.

"I-Is everything alright Arthur?" he asked, his eyes wandering around the gloomy atmosphere.

"Why should I tell you?" Arthur scowled from his couch.

"Because, this is so unlike you. It's scary really. Maybe scarier than that black magic you always like to do." Francis admitted, hesitantly taking a seat across from Arthur.

Arthur thought about if he really should tell someone like Francis about what was going on. Though, Francis _is_ known for helping others with this sort of stuff. Maybe sharing wouldn't hurt.

"Well there's someone I kind of-"

"You're in love aren't you!" Francis said bluntly. Excitement shimmered in his eyes.

"W-well sort o-"

"And you want _me_ to help you win her heart, no?" Francis said with a wink of the eye.

Arthur was taken by surprised but thought, hell why not?

"U-um sure! Where should we start?" Arthur asked, unsure of what to do at this point.

"Well, maybe we should start with your messy appearance. You can never win a woman's heart with a look like that!" Francis said, dragging Arthur out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

Francis was absolutely overwhelming. Arthur was sure that by the time the day was done, the two of them had to of visited every single men's clothing store in the world. He probably tried on millions of different shirts, thousands of pants and all kinds of musty, floral cologne. Arthur could not smell _anything_ but mixed cologne, his poor arms ached from changing in and out of so many outfits.

Along the way, Francis told him all kinds of ways to woo over that special someone's heart. Some topics were completely unspeakable while others were so specific. He'd get straight down to the details of how certain approaches can affect types of emotions or how the right type of flowers can show the right kind of message.

Arthur was thoroughly exhausted as he trudged through the front door of his luxurious home, mind pounding and his eyes burning.

"That was so fun! It has been forever since someone has come to my aid! Combien il est passionnant!" France exclaimed gleefully, prancing through the door.

"Well if you ask me that was the most exhausting day of my life." Arthur groaned; face planting into a soft couch cushion. He groaned in happiness to its outstanding comfort.

Francis raised a brow, "Oh s'il vous plait Arthur, you make it seem like I was torturing you."

"You were! My god! I don't understand how you can do these kinds of things! Bloody hell! " Arthur yelled from beneath the pillow.

"Well you learned the ins," Francis chuckled, "and outs of love. So my work here is done."

Arthur waved a pathetic hand towards the door, "Yes, yes thank you. Now please, allow me to have some time to myself."

Francis smirked, "Ah, to think of all the wonderful things you shall do to la fleur mignonne?"

Arthur blushed terribly, flinging a pillow at the frog, "Leave, before I bash in that warty face of yours!"

Francis laughed, dodging the pillow as he leaped through the doorway, "You are back to your old self again!"

Arthur sighed; being with that man was more aggravating than trying to teach Alfred how to chew with his mouth closed.

"Did I _really_ just do it again?" He asked himself, wondering when the torment will cease.

His eyes poked out from beneath the pillow, staring at his vintage monophone on the end table. His breath halted the more he stared. Should I call him? Would doing so make any progress? The idiot might not even pick up. He's always too busy for anything anyway. What if this was the only chance he'd get then?

The tension built up till he finally just took hold of the phone and ripped it off its base. The phone laid against his ear, his finger hovering over the fingerwheel. He felt cemented in the pose, his mind unable to make the command. He bit his bottom lip, turning it white. His blood rushing, his heart stopping, Arthur finally worked up the balls to dial the number.

His eyes wide and stuck in anticipation as each ring felt like each step to his voice. Heart pounding out of his chest, his hands shaking, his mind rushing through so many questions at once, it was killing him. When he suddenly heard the other end pick up it was as if everything nearly fell off a cliff.

"Sup, Alfred here."

Arthur's mind fell into limbo. He couldn't think of anything, couldn't say anything. He was leaving Alfred in mid air.

"Um…..Hellooo?" Alfred questioned, "Is this a prank call? Cause if it is, it totally sucks dude."

Arthur's eyes snapped back, his mouth about to utter something.

"A-"

"Alright dude, you suck at this. I'm hanging up."

"N-no! Alfred! It's me!"

"Arthur? Really? What the hell dude, why'd ya' leave me hangin'?"

"I-I was um…wondering if the two of us could um," Arthur cleared his throat, "h-hang out Saturday."

The other side grew quiet.

"A-Alfred? " Arthur questioned, worried.

"Hmmm, Yeah dude I could totally do that. What time?"

Arthur's heart fluttered out of its cage. A pink hue of excitement rose up on his cheeks.

"R-Really! U-um," he coughed, "How does um, 3 o'clock sound?"

"Sound good dude. See ya then."

"T-Till then!"

The other side hung up, leaving Arthur with himself. He slowly placed the phone back down on the base. He did it. He just asked Alfred on a date. Oh god, what should they do? What should he say? What kind of shirt could he wear? He frantically went from one question to the other and giggled. Quickly realizing that he was beginning to act, well foolish, he cleared his throat and stood up straight in his chair.

"It's a date then…"


End file.
